Friedebert Tuglas facts for kids
Friedebert Tuglas (born Friedebert Mihkelson or Michelson on March 2, 1886 – died April 15, 1971) was an important Estonian writer and critic. He helped bring new art styles like Impressionism and Symbolism to Estonian literature. Early in his life, he faced difficulties from the authorities. Later, he became a well-known representative of Estonian literature during the Soviet era.
Life Story
Friedebert Tuglas was born in Ahja. His father was a carpenter. From 1904 to 1905, he studied at the Hugo Treffner Gymnasium. He was put in prison for his activities related to social change. After this, he had to leave Estonia in 1906. He lived in countries like Finland, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, and France. He returned to Estonia just in time for the February Revolution in 1917.
His most famous short story is called Popi ja Huhuu. Tuglas was a leader of an Estonian literary group called Young Estonia (Noor-Eesti) in the early 1900s. He also helped start the Estonian Writers' Union. He was the chairman of this union several times: in 1922, from 1925 to 1927, and from 1937 to 1939.
In 1946, Tuglas was given the title of People's Writer of the Estonian SSR. In the same year, he became a member of the Soviet Estonian Academy of Sciences. However, he later faced problems. He was officially put on a blacklist, lost some of his rights, and was removed from all organizations, including the Writers’ Union, in 1950.
Tuglas passed away in Tallinn in 1971, when he was 85 years old. He had just finished writing his memoirs, which are seen as a very important work in his life. A museum was opened in Tallinn in the same year to remember him. Also in 1971, a special short story prize was created in his honor.
Some of Tuglas' stories are available in English. One collection is called The Poet and the Idiot and Other Stories. It was published in 2007 and translated by Eric Dickens. Other stories by Tuglas were also translated into English during the Soviet times.
